music industry

Although many independent and mainstream music stores have closed over the years due to a decline in CD sales and general economic turbulence, there are those shops that have dug in their heels in the face of an increasingly technology-driven music industry. These survivors took part in the second annual Record Store Day, held this past Saturday (April 18) in stores all across the nation. read more

OK, we know it's been a while since we've talked about net neutrality. But we figured you could use a break. Not that it's not still relevant -- actually, the reason we've blogged about the issue so much in the past is because net neutrality -- the principle that protects the open internet -- is crucial to artists and fans. Today's musicians depend on the web to reach potential audiences without the interference of gatekeepers, toll collectors and middlemen -- which could change if net neutrality goes away. read more

Music Fans Will Buy Songs, Says Head of Free Online Music Site Spotify
Record sales are down, illegal file sharing persists and a whole generation is getting used to enjoying music for free. But Daniel Ek, the man behind Spotify (still not available in the US), the world's fastest growing online music service, is convinced that fans will still pay for songs they love if they are packaged in the right way.
Alexandra Spotting, Guardian UKread more

There's been been a couple of online articles recently (that's one shy of three, which almost makes a trend!) about what "do-it-yourself" means in the era of digital music. So we figured we'd do a little thinking out loud, then turn the floor over to the experts -- in other words, you.

With the advent of user-friendly digital distro services, musicians now have a wide array of relatively inexpensive tools to get their tunes out there. Of course, with fewer gatekeepers and the "democratization" of technology, it also means you probably have to work harder to get noticed -- there's no slick suit who can make it magically happen for you. (And if there is, maybe s/he can give us a call?) read more

You don't need us to tell you that economic times are tough—musicians are feeling the financial pinch just like anyone else. On the upside, they're getting really creative about how they make music and market themselves. From a personal "lunch date" at the Cheesecake Factory to a live performance in your living room, today's artists are doing whatever it takes to establish a fanbase and hopefully sell some music.

As David Byrne (who actually appeared at our 2006 Policy Summit) once sang, "same as it ever was." read more

In late 2008, it was reported that the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) was working with Internet Service Providers (the folks that make your internet go) on a new strategy to combat the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material. Instead of suing individual infringers, the RIAA said it would focus on a "graduated response" to unauthorized uses. read more

South By Southwest has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the most raucous music conferences in the country. Held yearly in Austin, Texas, SXSW is an over-the-top celebration of music, booze, and networking that can take a while to recover from (in a good way). In between the live sets and Tex-Mex, there's also panel discussions about where this whole music dealie might be headed. read more

You don't have to be a super-genius to notice that the music economy isn't exactly stable at the moment. (Then again, neither is the rest of the economy). One thing is certain -- sales of compact discs continue to plummet, and it's tough to predict which of the new music services will thrive "or even survive" in this period of transition.

FMC’s original Manifesto, published in June 2000 that articulated the structural problems with the music industry from a musicians’ perspective, and framed the objectives of the organization for the first three years. read more